But can if post an FPP?

January 19, 2005 8:06 PM

"The implant is designed to allow signals from the motor cortex to be collected, processed and analyzed, eventually producing an interface with a personal computer." It seems to work. Watch the video.
posted by bingo (22 comments total)

!
posted by cortex at 8:13 PM on January 19, 2005

Ummmm, we've had these on Neptune for years.
posted by sharksandwich at 8:14 PM on January 19, 2005

Until I can actually go hunting on the internet without moving a muscle, this is just a check point along the path to my personal nirvana.

Thanks for the update.
posted by fenriq at 8:25 PM on January 19, 2005

The bad news: the bulky backpack unit wrinkles your suit.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 8:28 PM on January 19, 2005

Cool! Porn is going to be much more enjoyable once I no longer need to type.
posted by Joey Michaels at 8:44 PM on January 19, 2005

Imagine just how irritating it would be when your control system malfunctioned and you poured coffee onto your wife's lap with your gimpy robot hand. Better yet, how many things could you blame on a malfunction. An "accidental" backhand to a co-worker. "Sorry mate, it's the humidity. Wreaks havoc on the electric you know."

All jokes aside, if I was paralyzed I would be on the phone right now getting in line to be a test subject.
posted by brheavy at 8:46 PM on January 19, 2005

Once again, not having a horrible physical disability bites me in the ass.
posted by zerolives at 9:10 PM on January 19, 2005

zerolives: $200 and I can solve your troubles.
posted by TwelveTwo at 9:16 PM on January 19, 2005

Joey hit the nail on the head.
posted by [expletive deleted] at 9:22 PM on January 19, 2005

I love technology.
Always and forever.
Always and forever.
posted by Witty at 9:27 PM on January 19, 2005

That video was really amazing!
The artificial hand demonstration floored me.
posted by grimcity at 9:35 PM on January 19, 2005

All this favoritism for the physically challenged is really starting to chafe my upwardly mobile ass.
posted by antifreez_ at 10:38 PM on January 19, 2005

Thanks for that!
The video brightened my day a bit (it had been darkened due to this).
Making people's lives better is teh roxor.
posted by numlok at 11:10 PM on January 19, 2005

And Neuromancer moves one step closer to becoming reality.
posted by ruddhist at 1:05 AM on January 20, 2005

Or The Terminal Man.
posted by calwatch at 1:54 AM on January 20, 2005

Touché.
posted by ruddhist at 2:20 AM on January 20, 2005

"Not bad, man. Not bad at all." OR IS IT??!
posted by sklero at 3:39 AM on January 20, 2005

Development seems to have been amazingly rapid since this story, only three months ago! The movie demo is ... wow.

[previous]
posted by furious blush at 8:42 AM on January 20, 2005

Very interesting. I'm assuming the placement of the implant was just more convenient for the surgery? The thing certainly isn't in an optimal location. Surely the base of the neck would be better.

I know several individuals with related implants (google deep brain stimulation) -- while the electrodes are inserted where that implant is sitting in the video, wires are then run under the skin, down the neck and the actual implanted generator is placed in the abdomen.
posted by DBAPaul at 8:55 AM on January 20, 2005

I would guess that the thinking is that this guy isnt going to be up and running around, so he doesnt have to worry about bumping the top of his head into any thing.
posted by Iax at 12:13 PM on January 20, 2005

I've been longing to try one of these out since the monkey-brain-robotic arm experiment a year or two ago. Zerolives pretty much said it.
posted by squidlarkin at 1:15 PM on January 20, 2005

any links to an actual scientific journal? not that i'm questioning the journalistic integrity of wired, just the lack of peer review. i'm excited about this advancement, but also a little skeptical. who's to say that dude in the back isn't controlling it all?
posted by blendor at 2:11 PM on January 20, 2005